Iceberg Lettuce: Planting, Care & Harvesting

The crunchy leafy greens are extremely popular with us. Everything you need to know about growing and harvesting iceberg lettuce is here.

Although iceberg lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. capitata) hasn't been around that long, it's off the supermarket shelves and ours Kitchens are indispensable. The leaves of the iceberg lettuce are particularly crunchy and can also be stored for a very long time. The lettuce is particularly suitable for summer cultivation as it prefers a warm climate and is less prone to bolting than other lettuce. We have summarized everything you need to know about iceberg lettuce so that you can grow it in your garden too. Here you can find out where iceberg lettuce comes from, which types of lettuce are recommended and how best to plant and care for lettuce. There are also tips for harvesting lettuce.

We sometimes just call iceberg lettuce iceberg lettuce, other names are Krachsalat or in Austria bummersalat. It counts like the batavia lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. capitata) or the oak leaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. crispa) to the so-called crisphead group of garden lettuce (Lactuca sativa). In contrast to the salads in the butterhead group, these are particularly crunchy. In English, he is also called Crisphead Lettuce alongside Iceberg Lettuce. Like all garden lettuce, iceberg lettuce also belongs to the lettuce family (Lactuca) and thus to the daisy family (Asteraceae). Its long shelf life makes it particularly popular.

Origin and Properties of Iceberg Lettuce

The iceberg lettuce is a further breeding of the Batavia lettuce. If the Batavia still had loose heads, a variant with fixed, closed heads was bred in the USA: iceberg lettuce. The main growing areas for lettuce in the USA at the beginning of the 20th century were in the east of the country. From there the fresh, green leafy vegetables were sent. Hence the origin of the name of the iceberg lettuce. Since there were no refrigerated trucks at that time, the heads of lettuce were stored on large blocks of ice, or icebergs, on the train. That's how they coulddelicate salads arrive fresh on the west coast of the USA even after thousands of kilometers have travelled. Iceberg lettuce has also been cultivated in Europe for around 25 years. The main growing areas today are in Spain, Italy, France and southern Germany.

In general, the properties of the iceberg lettuce are the same as with all garden lettuce: It is a herbaceous plant with a long taproot, which initially only forms a rosette of leaves. Later the lettuce begins to shoot and a shoot with many yellow flowers develops on the plant. The special thing about iceberg lettuce is its closed heads, which look like cabbage. The shoot axis is strongly compressed. As a result, the leaves that surround the stem sit very close together and overlap each other. The result is a regular, round head shape. While the outer leaves are still dark green, they get lighter towards the middle. The inner leaves are firmly enclosed by the outer ones and can no longer unfold. This way they stay firm, light green, crunchy and make up the typical iceberg lettuce head.

Iceberg lettuce varieties

A lot has happened in the world of iceberg lettuce since it was first bred more than 100 years ago. There are now countless varieties, some of which are also very suitable for cultivation in the home garden. Iceberg lettuce is more diverse than you think - it doesn't always have to be green and round. The leaves can just as easily be spotted red or have jagged edges. We have compiled the most interesting varieties for you below.

Interesting varieties of iceberg lettuce at a glance:

• ˈBarcelonaˈ: This variety forms large, round heads with green leaves
• ˈLaibacher Eisˈ: This variety develops medium-sized heads with a red-green wash
• ˈMythˈ: The outer leaves of this iceberg lettuce variety are jagged and rich green on the outside
• ˈRegina Dei Ghiacciˈ: This variety gives you large, densely filled heads of intensively green, crisp jagged leaves
• ˈSaladinˈ: This variety forms large, very tightly closed heads with yellow-green leaves
• ˈSiouxˈ: This iceberg lettuce variety
forms medium-sized heads with a bright dark red bract and binder

Learn more about the different lettuce shapes and varieties in our special article.

Buying iceberg lettuce plants: you should pay attention to this

To give your plants aIn order to have a head start compared to direct sowing and thus be able to harvest the first heads of lettuce earlier, it can make sense to buy lettuce plants that have already been planted. You can buy iceberg lettuce plants in many nurseries, garden centers, hardware stores or at the weekly market. You will also find what you are looking for on the Internet from specialized online dealers. You can have your lettuce plants conveniently delivered to your home. When buying iceberg lettuce plants, you should pay particular attention to the following points so that the plants have the best conditions to grow well in your garden.

What to look for when buying iceberg lettuce plants?

• Selection
• Undamaged leaves and stems
• No rotten rootballs
• No signs of damage
• No signs of diseases such as powdery mildew
• Preferably from organic farming

Growing Iceberg Lettuce

Correct cultivation of lettuce includes the right location as well as the right planting time and the professional procedure when planting. In the following section, we will therefore tell you all the important tips and tricks for successfully growing iceberg lettuce.

You can also read everything you need to know about planting lettuce here.

The right place for iceberg lettuce

Iceberg lettuce feels particularly comfortable in sunny to partially shaded locations. He likes the soil loose and permeable, and it should also be rich in humus and nutrients. Iceberg lettuce grows best at a pH of 7. If you want to provide your iceberg lettuce with optimal conditions, then improve the soil before planting with a high-quality vegetable soil such as our peat-free Plantura organic tomato & vegetable soil. The soil is also ideal for cultivation in pots or raised beds.

Where is iceberg lettuce best grown?

• Sunny to semi-shady location
• Loose soil
• High content of humus and nutrients
• Ideal pH: 7

Tip: Peas (Pisum sativum), beans (Phaseolus vulgaris are well suited for a mixed culture with iceberg lettuce ), onions (Allium cepa) and radishes (Raphanus sativus var. sativus ). Celery (Apium graveolens) and parsley (Petroselinum crispum ssp. crispum), on the other hand, are unfavorable.

How to grow iceberg lettuce

When growing iceberg lettuce you have the choice between three options: you can grow young plants yourself, you can buy lettuce plants or you can sow your lettuce directly into the bed. You can start growing on the windowsill or in the heated greenhouse from the beginning of February. Direct sowing in the greenhouse is recommended from the end of February to mid-April. Sowing outdoors is only possible, however, when the temperatures on the thermometer are climbing. Frost is generally no longer to be expected from mid-May and the iceberg lettuce can also be sown directly into the garden bed from this point on.

When is iceberg lettuce best grown?

• Cultivation of young plants: from the beginning of February
• Direct sowing in the greenhouse: late February to mid-April
• Direct sowing outdoors: mid-May to mid-July

The first step in growing iceberg lettuce properly is preparing the bed. First loosen the soil thoroughly and remove all stones and weeds. Then work compost or a slow release organic fertilizer into the soil. In this way, the lettuce is supplied with sufficient nutrients right from the start and can grow well. Our Plantura organic universal fertilizer is best suited for this.

For direct sowing in the bed, create seed furrows 30 centimeters apart. The grooves must not be too deep, as lettuce germinates in the light. A depth of 0.5 to 1 centimeter is ideal for the iceberg lettuce. The seed is now placed in the seed furrows and only slightly covered with soil. Then the seed is watered. At temperatures between 10 and 18 °C, the iceberg lettuce should start to germinate within seven to ten days.

After opening, the seedlings are separated. Here, the same planting distance must be observed, which is also recommended for purchased or early-bred young plants. Lettuce plants are planted 30 to 35 centimeters apart. Be careful not to plant the seedlings too deep in the ground, otherwise the lettuce plant will not grow well. The root ball should still stick out a few millimeters from the ground after planting.

How is iceberg lettuce properly grown?

• Loosen soil
• Amend with compost or a slow acting organic fertilizer; excellently suitedis our Plantura organic universal fertilizer
• Draw seed furrows
• Row spacing: 30 cm
• Seed depth: 0.5 - 1 cm
• Cover the seed lightly with soil
• Cast on
• Separate after rising
• Planting distance: 30 - 35 cm
• Do not place young plants too deep in the ground

Care for iceberg lettuce: the right watering and fertilizing

In contrast to lettuce, for example (Lactuca sativa var. capitata), iceberg lettuce tolerates short periods of drought. Nevertheless, regular watering is mandatory. Especially as a young plant and on hot summer days, the lettuce needs a lot of water. As soon as the lettuce plants have formed heads, you should no longer water the heads from above, but only around the roots.
If you worked compost or a long-lasting organic fertilizer into the soil when you planted it, it is no further application of fertilizer necessary. The advantage of long-acting fertilizers is that they deliver the nutrients to the plant slowly and gently. The fertilizing effect is maintained for a long time and you no longer have to fertilize. Our Plantura organic universal fertilizer has exactly these properties, which is why it is ideally suited for the supply of iceberg lettuce.

Regular hoeing is recommended to loosen the soil while the lettuce is being cultivated. This stimulates the mineralization of the soil and water can penetrate more easily into the loosened, upper layers of the soil. Another plus point is that in this way unwanted weeds are removed at the same time. However, regular chopping does not protect against predators such as snails. So that your young lettuce plants are not immediately attacked by the unwanted pests, you should do something against the snails. Collection can be an option here, or control with preferably biological means.

How to properly care for iceberg lettuce?

• Water regularly
• Do not pour heads from above
• Fertilize when planting with compost or organic slow release fertilizer
• After that, no further fertilizer applications are necessary
• Hack Regularly
• Collect or fight snails

Propagating Iceberg Lettuce

Propagating your own iceberg lettuce is not easy, but it is not impossible either. So if you want to try your hand at propagating lettuce from seed, here's a simplified guide for you.

Step-by-step instructions for growing iceberg lettuce:

1. Select some lettuce plants and don't harvest
2. Let it bloom
3. Remove rotten, wilted leaves
4. Seeds are ready 12 - 24 days after flowering
5. Kick ripe seeds into a container
6. Dry in a cloth bag
7. Clean seed
8. Label
9. Store in a cool, dry place

You can read detailed instructions on how to propagate lettuce here.

Another way to propagate iceberg lettuce is the regrowing method. A new plant is grown from a stalk of the head of lettuce. You can find out exactly how to do this in the book "Regrow your Veggies" by Plantura co-founders Melissa Raupach and Felix Lill. It also includes regrowing instructions for 20 other fruits and vegetables.

Harvest and store iceberg lettuce

Compared to most other lettuce, iceberg lettuce takes a relatively long time to cultivate. After eleven to twelve weeks it is ready for harvest. Once the leaves have fully developed around the head, you can harvest the heads of lettuce whole. To do this, use a sharp knife and cut off the stalk just above the ground. In order to be able to store the lettuce well, you should first clean it after harvesting. To do this, remove dirt and soil and any gnawed or rotten outer leaves. Now the lettuce can be wrapped in foil or paper. It will stay fresh for a week or two in the vegetable drawer of the fridge.

How to harvest and store iceberg lettuce?

• 11 - 12 weeks after sowing the lettuce heads are ready for harvest
• Harvest Whole Heads
• Cut off the stalk with a sharp knife just above the ground
• Clean head of lettuce
• Keep in the fridge
• Iceberg lettuce stays fresh for 1 - 2 weeks

You can read more about how to harvest lettuce correctly here.

Ingredients and Uses of Iceberg Lettuce

Iceberg lettuce is 95% water. However, the remaining 5% is not to be scoffed at. There are all sorts of good ingredients that are considered he althy. With only 14.5 kilocalories, the iceberg lettuce is also extremely low in calories.

100 grams of fresh iceberg lettuce contain:

• 51 mg fiber
• 11mg Magnesium
• 166 mg Potassium
• 22 mg Calcium
• 7mg Vitamin C

Iceberg lettuce is usually prepared in salads. For this purpose, the outermost leaves are removed, as they are usually withered or dirty. Then the lettuce leaves can be plucked or cut into small pieces and seasoned and marinated according to preference. Iceberg lettuce also cuts a fine figure when mixed with other leaf salads or fresh or grilled vegetables. A classic among the iceberg lettuce recipes is the Caesar Salad: fresh iceberg lettuce is served with croutons, parmesan and anchovies or chicken breast strips. Another use for iceberg lettuce is as a crunchy layer on burgers or sandwiches. And the salad can also be mixed into green smoothies.

Head lettuce is too boring for you? Then here is a detailed overview of different types of lettuce for growing in the garden.